Writing instrument



y 4, 1950 I s. E. TOWN SYEND ,5

WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed March 7, 1947 INVENTO Qt Patented July 4,1950

Samuel E. Townsend, Haddonfield, N. J .,.as signor to The Esterbrook PenCompany, Camden,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application March 7, 1947, Serial No.733,073

Claims. (01. 120-51) My invention relates to writing instruments of thefountain pen type; more particularly stylographic pens, with whichordinary fluid ink is employed.

A well-known fountain pen, now in wide use, employs a so-called unitinsert, comprisin a nib and feed-bar assembly enclosed in and carried bya sleeve or shell which may be in threaded engagement with the pensection or the fountain pen barrel; the inner end of such sleeve firmlyengaging a seat disposed within such pen section or the barrel andpreventing leakage.

The improvement forming the subject of my invention comprises anassembly including a feedbar and an improved form of writing point ornib structure arranged in proper relative position .with respect to thefeed-bar; the latter being mounted in a sleeve or shell which may becarried by the pen section or at the end of the barrel; the forward endof the feed-bar and the nib being enclosed by a separate shell orcover-preferably of streamlined tapering contour-whi-ch shell or coveris apertured at its forward end and gives the complete assembly,including the insert element, a pleasing shape or appearance to thewriting instrument.

A further object of my invention is to simplify the construction andarrangement of the parts and to provide an insert structureinterchangeable with any fountain pen of the type employing the unitinsert before referred to.

A further object of my invention is to provide a conical member servingas the Writing point structure; such conical member being separate fromthe feed-bar and arranged in abutting relationship therewith and with acapillary space between these parts. The forward end of the writingpoint structure projects through the open end of the enclosing shell.

A further object of my invention is to provide the conical writing pointmember with a hardened tip serving as the paper-contacting portion; suchhardened tip being welded in place.

A further object of my invention is to provide the conical writing pointmember with a capillary groove along its outer wall surface, whichgroove communicates with the capillary space adjacent the feed-bar andextends through the hardened tip for the passage of ink thereto; tocross slit such hardened tip substantially at right angles to thecapillary groove, and to subsequently bring the several projectionsproduced by the slitting operations into substantial engagement at theextreme end of the same to produce the desired writingpoint.

- And a still further object of my invention is to providetheconical-writing point member with a ball-point suitably seated at theend of the same and receiving ink from the capillary groove; such I ballbeing retained in place by spinning or peening the metal at the end ofthe conical member to an extent that will'holdthe ball in place and atthe same time provide sufficient clearance to insure that the ball willrevolve during a writing operation.

These and other features of my invention are more fully set forthhereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, more orless diagrammatic in character,.in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, partly broken away, of a writinginstrument within the scope of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the forward end ofmy improved writing instrument; showing the feed-bar and nib assembly.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the forward portion of the feed-bar andnib assembly, illustrating a modified detail of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line III-- III, Fig. 2. p

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line IV-- IV, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevational View, partly in section, of the conical writingpoint member before completion and assembly; showing a hardened tipwelded to the point of thesame.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same part after the slitting operations.Y

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view of the conical nib structure provided with aball-point.

My present improvements have been applied to an ordinary fountain penstructure employing any usual or proper type of. fluid ink asdistinguished from the pasty material employed with ball-pointed pens,and my improved structure is more in the nature of a stylographicinstrument in that there is practically no flexure of the writing point.A cap of usual construction may be employed and such cap will beprovided with a so-called inner cap which, when in place on the barrel,engages the outer end of the pen section to seal the same.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, which shows an elevational view of myimproved writing instrument, the pen barrel is indicated at It and, inthis instance, has a pen section l I, from which extends a stream-linedand/or tapered shell or closure l2 containing the improved nib orwriting point member and enclosing the feed-bar, as more particularlypointed out hereinafter. In those fountain pens having lever-operatedfilling mechanism, the inner end of the pen section will carry an inksac of usual type (not shown).

barrel, receives a tubular sleeve [3 forming part of a renew-pointinsert of substantially the same 1942. In the present instance, thissleeve [3 is shown as engaging a seat I l' within the pensection I I toinsure against leakage, and it has a tubular portion I3 forward of thethreaded portion l3 for connection with the tapered shell or cover l2,for a purpose to be described. I

Carried by the sleeve I3 is a special form of feed-bar, indicated at-!5, more or less like the feed bar described in the patent of H. C.Klagges,

. character as the unit insert disclosed in the Y patent of H. C.Klagges, No. 2,292,381, Augustll,

- abbver'efrid t0, and this reed-bar is perinanentlysecured-tothesleeveld by any suitable means, In the present instance, the taperedend of such feed bar, which would normau 'nnderue the-pennies whenemployed with a fountainpen of the ordinary type, has been removed.

In addition tothe capillary grooves 15 and i5 on one side of this 'feed-bar for the passage of ink and air, illustrated in the present instanceas l the upper side; such grooves communicating with thesupply of ink,this iced-bar is provided with a relatively deep longitudinal groove ofcapillary dimensions on the-side opposite the grooves [5 and15*,ahd'su'eh latter groove is indicated-at I5 The groove lt extendsinto the portion 13 of the sleeve 13, and the latter'has an air inletcommuni'cating with this groove; This air inlet may be provided by crossslotting or notchin'g the portion W of the sleeve ata point just forwardof the threads 'I 3b, as indieated'at Hi. The forwardfen'd-of theteed-har-may-be cut oii squarely for a purpose to bedesoribed.

At the forward end of the feed-bar, I mount a p conical member Hi, theouter and pointedendof which, when providedwith a hardened tip,- servesas the writing point or paper-contactihg end of the instrument. The rearend of this conical -'m"ember is out off squarely at right angles to itslongitudinal axis ah'dlies en agement with the forward end of'thefeed-bar, At the point of engagement with the-feed barl provide theconical member with a shoulder lfi of such dimensions as to provide,outwardl of the same, an

annular capillary space 1'! between the end of the feed-bar and theinner end 'oi su'ch conical memher. The conical 'member is provided witha capillary groove 1 G along one side of the same which communicateswith this annular capillary space. 1

While it will 'be understood that the preferred arrangement of parts to"provide the annular capillary spacell is as just referred to and asillustrated in 2, in lieu thereof the'forwar'd *ehdbf the teed-bar maybeprovided with a slight projection similar to that shown at the rear endof the conical member and of such diameteras to provide an annularcapillary space that will function in the same manner as "that providedby the shoulder at therear end of the conical member; suchmodifiediarrangement being illustrated in Fig. 2 I

At the forward-ahd outer end of the conical member, which may be"composed of some form of suitable ferrous inetal---s'tai-n1e's's steel,ior "instanceunafiected by ink, I Weld a hardened pellet 18, which is toform the writing point or paper-contacting end of the instrument. Thispellet may be of some form of iridium alloy or the like,'and after ithas been welded to the smaller end of the conical member, the latter maybe provided with the groove I6 by a suitable milling of slottingoperation which extends to and includes the'hardened pellet is welded tothe end of the same and vertically along the line :1:. In addition tothe operation producing the capillary groove It the hardened pellet andthe tapered end of the conical member are cross-slotted to the iinejr,as indicated at I6 The forward end of the feed-bar and the conicalmember associated therewith are enclosed by the tapered cover or shell[2 which closely fits these parts and presents externally a tapered,substantially stream-lined contour. The inner end of this shell or covermay be recessed asindicated' at l2 to fit tightly over the'iorwardextension 1 3 of the-sleeve l3, ain-d in order that these partsmaybe-properly positioned, the 'wall of the recessed portion of theshell or cover-l2 may be provided with a rib lZ edapted to enter agroove I3 formedin the extension 13% of the sleeve I3. If "desired, theparts forming this connection may be reversed. Theehgag'ement of thecover or shell 12 with th-e sleeve 13 ina'y lee-wholly frictional, ormeans-may-be-provided tohold them in positive engagement. If. necessaryor desirable, the forward "end of the cover or shell '12 may beprovided.with anairi-htake, indicated at 12, adjacent to.the'annular-capillaryspace i! between the inner endof the conical member and the forwardendof the feed-bar.

The feed-bar is provided withcapillary spaces for the reception andstorage of "excess ink, indicated at :20, which spaces are separated bythe combs or partitions 2 i. To insure corrrmunication between thesecapillary s aces 2 the under face of the feed-bar is slightly fiattened,as indicated at W directly adjacent thelongitudi nal slot I5 and thisflattened portion extends into the forward end of the sleeve 13.

The conical member may be-produced from bar stock and. in the stepsofitspr-oduc'tion it carries the cylindrical :proj action-or arbor y,illustrated in-lFigs. Sand-6. After the pellet o'f'hardened material hasbeen welded to the'end of the same, and. the slotting operations havebeen completed, this :progiect'inn is cut on along the line 2-2.

I may employ a ball-point withmy improved writing, instrument, andiorthispur pose the end of the conical member may bede'veloped inthe mannerindicated in Fig. 8. In this instance, the

'ci'ent clearance to insure free rotation of the ball during awritingoperation.

While, for convenience, the capillary slot Hi? (and/oi" IE3) is show'ni-nthe-drawihgsas located at the upper :side of the conicalmem berI 6 '(or 1 50-) it will beunderstood thaitit is 'ndt necessa'ry, in theuse of my improved writing-instrument,

S that such capillary slot be in the uppermost position. I have found,in the use of this writing instrument, that it will function properlywhen held in any usual writing position no matter how such capillaryslot may be related to the particular position in which the instrumentis held.

While I have illustrated and have described with some particularity themanner in which my invention may be carried into effect, this disclosureis for illustrative purposes only and not as a limitation inasmuch asmodifications may be made which embody the spirit of my invention; allof which is deemed to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A writing instrument comprising a barrel including a reservoir forink and internally provided with a seat, a sleeve mounted at the end ofthe barrel and engaging the seat inwardly thereof to prevent leakage,said sleeve having a forward extension, a feed element having capillaryspaces for the reception and storage of ink carried by said sleeve, acover or shell carried by the forward extension of the sleeve enclosingsaid feed element and having an open forward end, and a conical writingpoint member mounted in the forward end of said cover and projectingthrough its opening; said conical member bein disposed in abuttingrelationship with respect to the feed element; there being an annularcapillary space between said parts for the passage of air and ink to andfrom the ink reservoir.

2. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 having the feed elementand the conical writing point member in abutting relationship with oneof said parts having its meeting face shaped to provide an annularcapillary space when they are in engaging relationship.

3. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 1 with an annularcapillary space between the conical writing member and the feed elementand with the conical member provided with a capillary groove extendingto its writing point and in communication with the annular capillaryspace between the same and the feed element.

4 In a Writing instrument of the character described comprising a barrelincluding a reservoir for ink, a pen section at the forward end of thebarrel, a sleeve carried by said pen section in threaded engagementtherewith; said sleeve having a forward extension, a feed elementcarried by said sleeve, a cover having an apertured forward endenclosing said feed element carried by said sleeve extension, and aconical member mounted in the forward end of said cover and having aportion providing a Writing point extending through the opening thereof;said conical member having a central projecting portion abutting theforward end of the feed element and providing with the latter an annularcapillary space for the passage of air and ink to and from the inkreservoir.

5. In a writing instrument of the character described comprising abarrel including a reservoir for ink, a pen section at the forward endof the 5 barrel, a sleeve carried by the pen section in threadedengagement therewith; said sleeve having a forward extension, a feedelement carried by said sleeve, a cover having an apertured forward endenclosing said feed element carried by said sleeve extension, and aconical member mounted in the forward end of said cover and having aportion providing a writing point extending through the opening thereof;said conical member abutting the forward end of the feed element andhaving a shouldered portion whereby an annular capillary space isprovided between the parts and said conical member having a capillarygroove communicating with said annular capillary space and extending tothe writing point end.

6. In a writing instrument, the combination with the pen section of afountain pen, of a sleeve in threaded engagement therewith; said sleevehaving a forward extension, a feed element carried by the sleeve havinga comb providing capillary spaces for the reception and storage of ink,a conical member forward of the feed element; said parts being arrangedto provide an annular capillary space at their zone of engagement andsaid conical member having a slotted end providing a writing point and acapillary groove communicating therewith, and a cover enclosing saidconical member and the feed element and carried by the forward end ofthe sleeve supported in the pen section; said cover being apertured atits forward extension for the passage of the writing point.

7. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 6 wherein the writingpoint has a hardened tip cross-slotted to facilitate the passage of inkand wherein the conical member is provided on its outer face with acapillary groove communicating directly with one of said slots and theannular capillary space between the feed element and the conical member.

8. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 6 wherein the comb of thefeed element is provided with a flattened surface underlying itscapillary spaces and the sleeve carrying the feed element is providedwith an air inlet communicating with the space provided by suchflattened portion,

9. A Writing instrument as set forth in claim 6 wherein the feed elementhas a longitudinal slot of material depth opposite its capillary groovesfor the passage of air and ink.

10. A writing instrument as set forth in claim 6 wherein the coverenclosing the feed element and the conical member is spaced from the pensection and the sleeve carrying the feed element is slotted for thepassage of air opposite the space between the cover and the pen section.

SAMUEL E. TOWNSEND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,527,971 Forsell Mar. 3, 19252,149,557 Snodgrass Mar. 7, 1939 2,292,381 Klagges Aug. 11, 19422,430,023 Longmaid Nov. 4, 1947

